How to use the Senior Pet Cognitive Change Behavior Checklist
When an older dog or cat paces at night or loses direction in a familiar home, it is hard for an owner to tell ordinary aging from illness. This checklist counts how many of the behavior changes you observed at home currently apply, and shows how many days have passed since you first noticed them.
This tool returns no probability, score or grade for cognitive dysfunction. No official scoring sheet with weighted items and cut-off totals is applied, and the result follows the approach in guidance such as the AAHA life stage recommendations, which asks for behavior to be reviewed during regular visits in the senior years (as of October 2026).
The same behavior changes also arise from pain, thyroid disease and declining sight or hearing, so separating the causes is only possible through a veterinary workup. Confirming a diagnosis and choosing medication are not supported here. This tool is for reference only and does not replace veterinary care. Contact your veterinarian right away if you notice symptoms or suspect a problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This checklist returns no probability, score or grade. Pain, thyroid disease and failing sight or hearing cause similar changes, so only a veterinary workup can tell them apart.
None. No weights are applied to the items and no total is converted into a grade. The result shows only how many items apply and which ones they are.
The list of items that applied, the date you first noticed the change, and the hours your pet is awake at night. A short video of the behavior helps as well.